On being a Physician
Dr. Conrad Braaten is an internist practicing in North Carolina. Dr. Braaten specializes in the medical treatment of adults. Internists can act as a primary physician or a consultant to a primary physician. They manage both common and rare diseases. Dr. Braaten provides comprehensive care and manages treatment with surgeons... more
I am convinced that being a physician includes the constant practice of listening and learning with a warm heart. During the almost 15 years I have been a doctor I’ve become aware that the more I learn, the more I realize how much more I need to learn to provide the best care for my patients. Perpetual learning, added to empathy, is simply a good way to practice medicine. I had some wonderful advice early on that has stuck with me through the years.
As an osteopathic medical school student in southwest Virginia while attending Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), I met several wonderful physicians who exemplified the wisdom of listening and learning. One, a pediatrician, remarked on the first day of my pediatric rotation even before we saw our first patient together: “The number one rule in pediatrics is to never argue with the mother, she knows her child better than anyone!” Another wise mentor was a 95-year-old physician, who at one time had been head of pathology at Harvard Medical School. One day I asked him: “You’ve been practicing medicine for over 70 years now. Do you still find yourself learning new things?” He looked at me, smiled, and said: “Sure! Oh, sure I do, every day, all the time!” Those words continue to be an inspiration. The cardiologist who headed our cardiology rotation through VCOM once said to me: “I want you to remember the most important thing in medicine.” I asked: “Is it to check the patient’s blood pressure, do EKGs, recognize symptoms of chest pain, to choose the right medicine?” He said: “That’s all very important, but you need to know that no matter if you give the patient the right medicine or do any act of medical care, that you’ve done nothing for the patient unless you’ve touched the patient with love. That could be a handshake, a kind gesture, or just listening with compassion. Do it all with a loving heart, otherwise you’ve done nothing for the patient!”
Finally, I remember so well the advice given by the head ER physician during my first ER rotation as a resident in Ohio. Observing me see patients, he asked me: “Do you want to be a good doctor?” I said, “yes, I do.” He replied: “Great! Keep studying and learning medicine, but to be a great doctor you must understand people first and medicine second!”
In summary, the wisdom shared by the mentors I have referenced above, and certainly many more along the way, has impacted the ‘how and why’ I choose to keep practicing medicine, trying to learn and understand people better and provide medical care with a heart filled with love.
